Fatal Herb Senna: A Case Report
Journal Title: Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences - Year 2016, Vol 5, Issue 2
Abstract
Due to its laxative effects, senna (Cassia angustifolia) has been used frequently in our country and the whole world. We aimed to present a case in which a probable hepatotoxicity and death occurred because of senna used in large quantities for a long time due to its laxative effects. A sixty years old female patient admitted our emergency service with the complaints of weakness, abdominal pain and distension ongoing for about three days. She expressed that she had drunk a kind of tea made of senna for the treatment of her chronic constipation a long time and especially in the last month mostly. According to anamnesis, physical examination and investigations, we concluded that our patient may have toxic hepatitis due to consuming a large amount of senna recently for her chronic constipation. We consulted the patient to gastroenterology and organ transplantation service. She was followed for multiple organ failure, but did not respond to the interventions and died before liver transplantation. It mustn’t be forgotten that when used in an uncontrolled way, senna which is used as a laxative by people and easily reachable, can cause toxic hepatitis and also death.
Authors and Affiliations
Muhammet Gokhan Turtay, Kasim Turgut, Hakan Oguzturk, Sukru Gurbuz, Volkan Ince
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP328489
- DOI 10.9734/JAMPS/2016/21923
- Views 105
- Downloads 0
Agreement between Observers for Pap smear and Visual Inspection Tests in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil
Aim: Despite well established validity and reliability of Pap test, a significant proportion of false negative test results still remains and is partially due to the lack of agreement between observers. Visual inspectio...
Biochemical Assessment of Parkia biglobosa Ethanolic Root Extract in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats
Aim: To investigate the antidiabetic effect of Parkia biglobosa ethanolic root extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Joseph...
End-of-life Care in Nigeria: Preparing Nursing Students and Workforce to Take the Lead
In this 21st century, several factors have informed the increasing need of end-of-life care globally. Notable amongst them are the global changes in both demographic and disease pattern; factors that have led to increasi...
Leveraging on Prompt Proactive and Preventive Integrated Strategies (PPPIS) for Meningitis Control in Nigeria: Getting it Right
Background: Given the escalating morbidity and mortality recorded annually due to meningitis outbreak in Nigeria, it is fast becoming a disease of public health concern. Objectives: This study described and discussed pr...
Occurrence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria amongst Inmates of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Calabar, Nigeria
Aims: To determine the occurrence and prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, influence of gender and duration of illness on the prevalence of this infection among inmates of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Calabar....